Istiana Bestari has never had a “9-5”. She’s a self-proclaimed expert side hustler and found the freedom lifestyle right out of university.

Istiana’s a travel vlogger, YouTuber, singer/songwriter and full-time videographer/photographer under her business Lilac Media Group. “When things get crazy and busy, I remind myself that I chose this and I control everything I'm doing to be able to travel lots, create my own schedule and do the things I've always wanted to do." 

In this episode, Sam and Istiana discuss:

• the early days of launching a YouTube channel
• pitching brands as a content creator
• pursuing a dream career in the music industry
• challenges of the traditional “9-5”
• balancing multiple revenue streams 
• running a business with your boyfriend

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Links: 

• Follow Istiana 
• Watch Istiana’s new music video 
• Visit Lilac Media Group 
• Follow Sam 
• Attend a Freedom Lifestyle Event 
• Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

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About the show:

Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had.

Send us a text

Cate Gennaro advocates for freedom post-break-up hashtag boybye. She’s the author of "The Happy Break-up" - an Amazon Best-Selling book aimed at empowering women to regain their self-confidence and self-esteem after a break up. 

Cate spent more than 10 years working in the television industry and after it lost its charm and she went through a break up herself, Cate decided to make drastic life and career changes. She is now on the path to becoming a Registered Psychotherapist and is already thinking about her second book.

In this episode, Sam and Cate discuss:

• What it’s like to work in the television industry 
• What steps Cate took her transition to a new career 
• How her book helps women going through a break up
• The process of creating and publishing a book
• Who the Happy Break-up is about!

Links: 

Follow Cate
Purchase the Happy Break-Up
Follow Sam
Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community
Attend a Freedom Lifestyle Event

Send us a text

Today were’ spicing things up. You’re not just meeting one fabulous Girlboss, you’re actually going to meet eight. I interviewed all of these women back to back live at the #Girlboss Toronto 4.0 meetup at Make Lemonade.

Their stories are short and sweet and will totally leave you wanting more. Each of them lead totally different businesses with totally different lifestyles. All of these ladies though know their definition of free and are working for it everyday. 

Facebook groups like #Girlboss Toronto or mine for Freedom Lifestyle are incredible ways to connect with other women who can help you achieve your version of free. 
 

In this episode, Sam interviews: 

 1) Claire McCallum 

 Brand Strategist + Designer 

 
2) Roberta Lindal

 Founder KONSNT and La Petite Écolière


3) Alicia Wood

Founder of Camp Fuel 

4) Prayalini Sathanantham

 Founder of Pri.Made.Events

5) Anne Flamant 

 Founder of D&D Strategy
 

6) Hailey Loftus 

 Founder of Hailey Jane
 

7) Nicki Iskander

 Founder of Nicki RMT
 

8) Christina Paruag

Founder/Editor at FemEvolve

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Links: 

• Get Resources for Freedom Seekers 
• Join the Freedom Lifestyle community 
• Follow Sam 

 
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About the show:

✨ Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had. ✨

Send us a text

Ainsley Moir has always wanted to make an impact. Growing up she dreamed about working for global companies like Coca-Cola where she could use her marketing skills to shape the world’s biggest brands. So, she did. 

She spent a decade in corporate life before awakening to the fact that if she was working this hard to grow someone else’s brand, why can’t she just apply that energy to a business of her own. She tested a few different side hustles before picking one and taking the plunge to full-time free.  

Ainsley gets real about that transition - how she totally freaked out just weeks before quitting and the types of conversations she had to have with herself to make sure she did it anyway.
 

In this episode, Sam and Ainsley discuss:  

• How early mentors helped Ainsley land dream jobs  
• The disconnect she felt working in Consumer Packaged Goods  
• Various side hustles Ainsley tested on evenings and weekends  
• How content marketing is helping her land clients  
• The critical role branding plays in growing a business 

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Links: 

• Follow Ainsley
• Visit Engineer Your Brand
• Follow Sam
• Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

Epic partner alert ~ Fiverr.com is the world's largest online marketplace for freelance services, beginning at just $5 per job. Their model is geniusly simple and the innovators behind this awesome brand are coming to Toronto on June 5th to host a free event.

Yes, we're all invited!

 
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About the show:

Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had.

Send us a text

When Lisa Zamparo was a kid she dreamed of working on Bay street and making six figures by the age of 30. So, that’s what she did. 

Lisa got her CPA designation, a job at a big accounting firm and began to climb that corporate ladder. She had the financial success but it wasn’t what she expected. She didn’t feel happy. She was living for the weekend and felt disconnected from the freedom she valued. 

So, on her honeymoon of all places, Lisa and her very newlywed husband took a three hour hike and planned how she would quit her job and become an entrepreneur. 

In this episode, Sam and Lisa discuss:  

• Entrepreneurial experiences in your youth  
• The future of work and creating a career for yourself  
• Being okay with failure and rejection as an entrepreneur  
• Financial planning and what many startups get wrong  
• Personal finance and the power of compound interest 

Links: 

Follow Lisa
Visit the Wealthy Girl
Follow Sam
Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

Send us a text

What would you ask for if you knew the answer was going to be yes? That’s the mindset Reese Evans began to adopt when she first launched Yes Supply in 2015. She’s since turned a blog empowering women to realize their dreams, into a full blown collective.

Reese is living and breathing the life she knew she always deserved but didn’t know how to get. She’s now a Master Life and Success Coach where she helps women live their purpose using her expertise in NLP and EFT (worth the google search). She also speaks all over the world including the legendary #girlboss rally!

Reese has found her version of the freedom lifestyle and bringing women in along way. Discover her journey to YES. 

In this episode, Sam and Reese discuss:  

• Power of manifestation and knowing what you want  
• The science behind NLP (neuro-linguistic programming)  
• How positive affirmations can work for you  
• Tips for gaining control of your time and life  
• Reese’s story of speaking at #girlboss rally 

Links: 

Follow Reese

Visit Yes Supply

Attend Fiverr Event

Follow Sam

Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community


About the show:

✨ Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had. ✨

Send us a text

When Meghan Kraft walked away from her romantic relationship, she walked away from a business that defined her early twenties. 

Meghan has been a serial entrepreneur since she was 21 and spent five years building her first retail brand with her ex-business partner + long-term boyfriend. She chose happiness and the sacrifices were a package deal. 

Discover Meghan’s journey of reinventing herself post-exit, including her legendary trip to India and the decision to try her first “corporate job”.  

In this episode, Sam and Meghan discuss:  

• Why she deferred medical school to pursue entrepreneurship   
• What it’s like to run a business with your boyfriend  
• The importance of advocating for yourself and being shameless  
• Valuable lessons from her community of mentors   
• How her grandma helped shape her reinvention
    

Links:

Follow Meghan

Visit Chai Atelier

Follow Sam

Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

About the show:

✨ Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had. ✨

Send us a text

Shraddha has always pursued opportunities that feel right, for right now. She currently works remotely as a digital marketer and previously worked in retail, micro-finance and has experimented with social entrepreneurship. 

Shraddha advocates for non-linear career paths and embodies the freedom lifestyle by jumping from one exciting opportunity (and often country) to the next.

 
In this episode, Sam and Shraddha discuss:  

• The benefits and drawbacks of non-linear career paths   
• How you can make remote work, work  
• Morning rituals when working from home   
• The importance of crafting your story   
• How to leverage your personal network 

 Links: 

Follow Shraddha

Follow Sam

Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

About the show: 

✨ Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had. ✨

Send us a text

As part of a two-woman team, Elle Bulger lives the Freedom Lifestyle while still working for someone else. She’s the Director of Client Success at Pinch Social (the team bringing Social Media Week to Toronto), and has the perks of startup life without the burden of being an entrepreneur.

It hasn’t all been a home run; Elle gets real with her previous roles and the negative impact they had on her mental health. She also shares the charming and oh so inspiring story of how she “flipped the script” and proposed to her boyfriend, now fiancé, in Mexico a few weeks ago. 
 

In this episode, Sam and Elle discuss: 

• creating the freedom lifestyle while working for someone else  
• discovering that entrepreneurship isn’t for you   
• how your job can help or hinder an anxiety disorder  
• achieving self-care through the freedom lifestyle   
• tips for using social media to grow you brand or business   
• what not to do on social media   
• what it’s like to propose to your boyfriend 

Links: 

Follow Elle

Visit Pinch Social

Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

Follow Sam

About the show: 

✨ Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had. ✨

Send us a text

As Jacqueline Leung starting to climb the corporate ladder, she noticed how hard it was to push ideas through years of set processes and red tape. She knew this was preventing her from pursuing her full potential so she quit and focused on building a startup.

Jacqueline is the founder and editor-in-chief of Pressed News, a digital media company that makes the news easy to understand by being concise, speaking like your friend, and giving you context on difficult topics.

We had the opportunity to interview Jacqueline one year into her new Freedom Lifestyle!
 

In this episode, Sam and Jacqueline discuss:  

• leaving a job that can’t fulfill your potential   
• how support networks aid with imposter syndrome   
• misconceptions of running a startup   
• self-care rituals for entrepreneurs   
• advice from her dad!  

Links:  

Visit Pressed News

Follow Jacqueline

Join the Freedom Lifestyle Community

Follow Sam

About the show: 

✨ Freedom Lifestyle represents the movement towards freedom in life and work. We interview entrepreneurial people who've created a lifestyle of independence, that's on their own terms. We discover their version of the Freedom Lifestyle, learn how they got there and reflect on the impact its had. ✨

Send us a text